Paula Deen made headlines back in January by revealing
she was diagnosed with Type II diabetes three years ago, and also staunchly defending the Southern cooking for which she became famous, known for its fatty and unhealthy foods.

Now Deen is gracing the
cover of People, showing off her 30-pound weight loss and opening up in an interview about how she slimmed down.

"I do think differently now [about food]. I'm more aware," says Deen. She says instead of eating regular meals of her favorite Southern foods like mashed potatoes and fried chicken, she has developed a taste for food like fish and Greek salads.

"It took me a couple of years to get to this point. If you make a few small changes, they can add up to big results," she says.